Tomato Cage Plans and Types

Tomato plants must grow upright to thrive, as the ground soil harbors the potential for pest infestations and diseases, that can infect the plant when it rests on the ground. Gardeners typically use stakes, trellises or cages to support tomato plants.

Materials

Gardeners can build their own tomato cages out of readily available materials, from lightweight wooden strips or metal fencing to concrete reinforcement wire. They can also purchase ready-made cages from garden stores.

Arrangments

For metal wire tomato cages, bend the material to completely encircle the plant to a height of approximately 3 feet. A cage made of wooden strips should form a pyramid or cube to cover the plants, as 3-D shapes support the plants better than a traditional flat trellis.

Considerations

Gardeners who plan to use cages should place them around the tomato plants before the plants grow large enough to make the process more cumbersome. A cage designed for a smaller tomato plant can also support other small plants, such as cucumbers and peppers.

References

• Ohio State University Extension: Container Vegetable Gardening
• Oregon State University Extension: Garden Hints